Franchise Opportunities - Our Franchisees

Our Franchisees come from a broad range of backgrounds though the one thing they all share is a passion for people and the desire to deliver world class customer service. We have exiting franchisees who have joined the PACK & SEND franchise opportunity from having owned and run a McDonalds Restaurant and Domino's Pizza Franchise, to the individual who headed up the marketing for the Cartridge World Franchise.

We also have an ex-fighter pilot and his wife, a clown, and an ex-media baron amongst our growing team of franchisees.

One of the biggest points of difference within PACK & SEND is the people who own and run the stores.

Here’s what a few of them have to say about it.

Name: Phil & Katie Diacon

Why did you go down the franchise route? And why did you choose PACK & SEND franchise?

It was a quick and easy solution to starting a business and would give us a good introduction. We chose Pack & Send because it was new and there were good opportunities to get involved with building brand awareness. We also saw that it had good growth potential in the UK.

The decision to go with PACK & SEND was based predominantly on the growth potential - we did not want to invest in a franchised business that was mature and where you had to fit into the gaps that existed rather than being able to take control.

We then began our due diligence which took several months. PACK & SEND insisted that we speak with existing franchisees, and allowed us to choose the ones we wanted to speak to. They were quite obviously transparent, and clearly confident about what they were providing.

What did you do before taking up your PACK & SEND franchise?

We were both in the Military as a pilot and engineer

How did you raise the finance?

Mostly from private funds but some came from the bank.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?

PACK & SEND have a training programme which teaches you about the freight industry, how to pack the items, and how to run the store. They are always on hand to help sort queries and have been extremely supportive throughout the whole process even helping out in the store throughout the year.

What PACK & SEND provides is very positive support - what you get is a proven model that you can apply yourself to and make work. And, importantly, the PACK & SEND team is a strong one and if you’re willing to show the same level of commitment and work then they will stand right behind you and give you that support. One of the key elements for us was that we wanted to feel that we could do business with these people - and we can, because they share our own values.

What is a typical day for you as a PACK & SEND franchisee?

Our employee opens up at 08:30 and we do all the tracking of parcels in the system. We receive calls and enquiries throughout the day which we deal with whilst continuing to pack other items to ensure they leave on time. There are also collections to make and appointments with companies throughout Bristol to discuss their requirements. We finish around 17:30 – generally fairly tired!

What challenges have you faced?

We have to look quite far ahead to plan for the busy periods. Employing people has had the most challenges though. Dealing with several HR issues as well as the other aspects of business has been quite a juggling act.

Has becoming a PACK & SEND franchisee changed your life, if so how?

We have more flexibility in our life and aren’t under constant threat of visiting a sandy place which puts our mind at ease. It is still in the early stages at the moment so we are busy growing and just beginning to think about our second store.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of buying their first franchise? Do your research into the franchise, the market, and the franchisor and use the opportunities to meet them as a job interview for them as much as you. You have to be able to work with them to make it successful. Also, be careful about your financial planning figures and always have a conservative estimate that still works before you commit.

What are your plans for the future?
To grow to a steady state and have another employee which we allow us even more flexibility and the ability to work on growing it further. Maybe even another store too.

Would you do it again?
Yes

Name: Hari Bodi

Hari Bodi has had experience of several businesses in retailing and catering, with success along the way, but the issue that he had was that he was finding that work was all he had time for! When he joined the PACK & SEND team in 2012 he found that his work:life balance changed dramatically compared to the late night hours of fast-food retailing.

Brief career biography: Over 12 years experience within the fast food and retail market, gained in selling, marketing and general management. I have turned fast food stores which were running in losses to profit powerhouses.

What did you do before franchising and what led you to look into it?

I was a JV Partner in two of the Dominos Pizza Outlets. I was looking for a change from Food business to something like a ‘normal’ office hours business which led me to take up the franchise opportunity with PACK & SEND.

Why this sector and why PACK & SEND? How did you find out about them?

I was always interested in retail business, in my 12 years of experience in retail I have sold Rice, Bikes, Motorbikes, Cooking Oil, Dominos Pizza and now PACK & SEND. PACK & SEND is unique in its own way and that is what excited me to know more about this business model.

In PACK & SEND we specialise in Packing Fragile, Large, Awkward, Valuable, Art & Antiques and Shipping with in UK or anywhere in the world. I found PACK & SEND online (Google) when researching new opportunities.

How did you find the process of raising funds?

I needed to get some bank lending but the Business Manager at our bank (NatWest) was very efficient at arranging the funds, it was quite easy and a straight forward process.

How long did the whole process from funds/applying to training to getting up and running, take?

4 – 6 Months

What support and training did you receive and continue to receive from the franchisor?

The training programme provided wider knowledge about PACK & SEND which included the packing, shipping, marketing and sales etc. After finishing my training and I started trading in my store and in the first month I sometimes had doubts when it came to packing methods and it was easy to get in touch with the corporate team to clarify the best approach. They were also helpful in doing a marketing plan for my store and were in the store with my for the first week or so.

How has it been going so far?

It has been 3 months since I took on the PACK & SEND store in Oxford and the progress has been steady. Everyday is exciting as you don’t know what you can expect from customers and what we will have to pack and ship next. It is also stimulating as there are often several ways to help with a customer’s complex needs and I enjoy putting suitable proposals together for them.

What's your typical day like (if there's such a thing!)

This is difficult to answer as it is always different. One of the things that attracted me to the business was the variety of the jobs we handle and the challenge of providing appropriate solutions.

What do you foresee for the short and long-term future of your business?

The short term business plan is to train my new staff and grow the sales in my Oxford store so that it meets the budgeted monthly sales on a regular basis. This will then allow me to expand by opening multiple stores.

How has it had an impact on your life?

PACK & SEND has fulfilled my need for change when it comes to work life, as I was looking for an office hours business. This has improved the quality of my life and the time I can spend with the family and friends.

Name: Nick Jennings

Why did you go down the franchise route? And why did you choose your franchise?

I looked at a number of businesses for sale and decided to try a franchise. I looked at approx 7 franchises in marketing, finance and other areas before choosing PACK & SEND based on its unique offering within the UK and the transparency and credibility of the UK management team.

The other thing that impressed me was that they never tried to sell the concept to me – whilst they were very happy to provide me with business and market information and let me talk openly with whichever other franchisees I wanted too. They are very confident in the business and it was very much up to me to sell it to myself.

What did you do before taking up a franchise?

I started and ran an electronics company for 18 year before it was successfully sold to one of its American customers.

How did you raise the finance?

From my own funds but involved my bank from the start for an overdraft facility.

What training and support did you receive initially and ongoing?

I and my staff attended a 3 week training course provided by the master franchisee in Reading and they provided a month in store support for the first month we were trading. PACK & SEND UK have provided regular ongoing support via telephone, email and store visits and this has extended to working in the store to help train new staff and resolve any issues we may have had.

What is a typical day for you as a franchisee?

The days tend to be very variable depending on what jobs come in. It usually involves quoting for jobs received via the internet, phone and walk in’s, picking up items locally, packing them and then organising their dispatch worldwide, which very much depends on what has come in. This can be very variable because we specialise in items that cannot be just thrown in a box and then in the back of a couriers van!

Then there is the marketing and relationship building with local businesses, dealers and suppliers along with the follow up calls to customers for whom we have supplied estimates.

What challenges have you faced?

The Brand is still new which has advantages in that those who get involved early on will do very well but it also means that marketing the service is very important. The concept is aimed at people who care about the items they are sending so it is important people understand the benefits of the service we offer in terms of specialist packing and shipping services. i.e. It’s not worth sending it if its get broken or lost!

Has becoming a franchisee changed your life, if so how?

Yes I am now back to work after being semi-retired. It is entirely different to my previous occupation which required a great deal of R&D expenditure before a product was ready to sell. Payment for our services is usually upfront.

It is also great in that whilst I’m very much in control of my own business I have what has been first class support from the team in Reading. It has also been great how they have managed to develop such an immense team spirit amongst the franchisees.

What advice would you give to someone thinking of buying their first franchise?

Do plenty of research about the market, the area you intend to operate and the concept of the product or service. Also check out any competition. One thing that a lot of people seem to ignore is the quality of the management team at the Franchisor – you should make sure they have a high calibre team.